Tales of a Gutsy Ninja- Chunin Quest!
by CoteDegbear
Summary: First Installment Recently graduated from the Shinobi Academy of Uzushi, Uzumaki Naruto must travel with his childhood friends Choji and Shikamaru to the world's capital- the City of Konoha- to have forehead protectors installed on their headbands, that they may truly become Genin. On this dangerous journey, Naruto's dreams and abilities will be put to the test! (Slow updates)


Tales of a Gutsy Ninja- Chunin Quest!

Part One: Road to the Leaf 

Uzushi, the Land of the Whirlpool ~ June, 1624 

"Uzumaki Naruto!" called the voice of Iruka Umino. The young blond orphan looked up from the grass he'd been pulling out of the ground. The child to his left had just sat when the infamous little knucklehead jumped from his spot on the ground and began to stride forward, confident as always. All eyes in the grassy forest clearing were on him as he stepped before Iruka-sensei, who was illuminated by both firelight and the dim reflection of the moon. In his hands was a plain blue headband. "Bow." Naruto bent forward and the cloth was tied around his head, tightening on his skin and holding his hair up. When he stood, he said his oath. "When I return to this village, I will come with the strength of the Leaf, her insignia on my brow, and the title of Chunin!" Iruka-sensei nodded, his stern eyes boring into Naruto. "Make your homeland, the Land of the Whirlpool, proud, Naruto-hakase." As he looked around to make sure the other two Chunin teachers were presenting headbands to their classes, he leaned forward. "And tonight I'll be by to take you for some ramen. It's on me!" he whispered. Naruto grinned. "Alright, Iruka-sensei!"

He turned around and walked back to his spot just as Iruka called out the next name. "Shikamaru Nara!" Naruto watched as his childhood acquaintance passed him. "Ugh, first they make us walk out to this dumb field, then they're making us walk to Konoha… What a drag…" Naruto rolled his eyes as he sat down and looked at Akimichi, who had been sitting next to Shikamaru. "Geez, get a load a' him, huh?" Choji turned and frowned. "You watch it, Naruto. Sh'kamaru-kun is a genius. You're the bottom of the graduating class." Naruto again rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, Choji. I didn't mean anything by it, but whatever," he groaned as he turned his gaze over to the small line of Uzushi kunoichi. Only five girls had graduated, as opposed to eleven boys. Uzushi wasn't known for contributing large numbers of Shinobi anyways. Of the five, their names being Rin, Kushina, Tsuna, another Rin, and Ino, Naruto had only ever spoken to Ino. She was pretty enough, Naruto guessed, but a little ditzy.

"Ugh, glad _that's_ over," Shikamaru groaned as he fell back on his ass. Choji struggled to his feet and lumbered off to Iruka as Shikamaru turned towards Naruto. "…But I guess that was the _easy_ part, huh, Naruto?" Uzumaki looked back from the kunoichi class to his team mate. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I heard it's like a month-long walk to Konoha, right?" Naruto asked. Shikamaru sighed. "Somethin' like that, yeah… It'd be _half_ that time if we could just buy a boat down the Hashi. Too bad none of us has that kinda money." Naruto frowned as Choji sat down, cheerful as ever. "Wow, we're _Genin_ now. How cool is that, Sh'kamaru?" The slacker looked to Akimichi. "We aren't even Genin yet, though. We still have to _walk_ to Konoha, and even after that we have to start a bunch of lousy training on the road to Port Yahiko," Shikamaru groaned. Choji frowned. "Yeah, but at least we'll get to try out a bunch of exotic food once we get to the mainland," he said hopefully. Shikamaru looked concerned. "Just remember, Choji, our parents aren't so eager to see us that they'll pay for _your_ appetite," he chuckled. Choji laughed back. "Oh, c'mon, Sh'kamaru, you don't think I'm _that_ bad, do you?" "Ah, you know I'm just kiddin', buddy…"

Naruto was the last to get why Shikamaru trailed off. Iruka had to snap, " _Naruto_!" before the young blond looked up at them. The three Chunin came together and stood before their pupils. "It has, as of this very moment, been two years since the Academy released its last crop of students, and it will be two more before it happens again. It has now been two years since the Academy released its last crop of students, and it will be two more before it happens again. You are now Shinobi of the Land of Whirlpools, and beyond that, you are Ninja of the Land of Fire," said Tetsuo-sensei, Iruka's cousin. Iruka continued for him, "And soon, you are to officially be Genin. In order to achieve _that_ , however…"

Iruka-sensei paused for some dramatic effect, winking at Naruto. "…You must each journey to the City of Tree Leaves, the Hidden Leaf Village, called _Sato no Konohagakure_ in ancient times!" The female to his right, Uzushi's head kunoichi Yuhi Kurenai finished. "When you have all arrived at Konoha, you shall be awarded with metal markers for your headbands, officially tying you to the Leaf. From then on, you shall all be Genin. And, I trust, each of you shall find your _Saishu Sensei_ , the last teacher who will instruct you in the ways of Ninshu. When you are ready, your Saishu will take you to your next destination."

Naruto looked at his acquaintances. "Say, your families live in Konoha, right?" Shikamaru was the first to nod. "Yep. In fact, they sent us here so we could be raised _away_ from Konoha. It's the capital of the world, now, and I guessed they figured making our childhoods a wilderness sabbatical would make us grow up to be stronger." He looked from Naruto to Choji, who'd brought out a bag of chips and was munching away at them with gusto. "I dunno, I think we just ended up being chips off the old block, judging from what I've seen of our dads in their few visits to this backwater country." Naruto couldn't help but feel somewhat indignant at that; _he_ had been born of Uzushi and the Land of the Whirlpool, so he didn't feel comfortable with others jabbing at it. Shikamaru had been chuckling, but for a second after he saw Naruto's face he stopped before laughing again, slugging Naruto in the arm. "Oh, c'mon, you know I'm kiddin', Naru-.." "Quiet!" shouted Kurenai.

They looked back up at their stern instructors. "However, as of today, you're all Uzushio-nin. Should you fail your quest for the title of Chunin, you may at any point return here to be made an official guard of Uzushi; your status and rank shall be at Genin eternally, or until you resign, however, so we don't recommend this. Now, you are dismissed. Go home, tell your parents, and get ready to begin your journey as soon as you're able."

 _Parents…_

"Hey, Naruto," Iruka-sensei's voice cut in. He was smiling cheerfully. "Yes, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked, perking up for his teacher's sake. "How about that ramen, huh?" he asked. Naruto nodded eagerly; ramen was easily his favorite food.

Naruto wolfed down the miso ramen he'd been treated to. Naruto's appetite was notoriously endless, and Iruka's wallet would unfortunately be feeling the full effect of that notoriety. "Jeez, Naruto, slow down, would ya?" Iruka chuckled, scratching the back of his head. Naruto looked at him, perplexed. "But Iruka-sensei," he began between bites, "shouldn't a young Shinobi make sure to get as much done and as much eaten as possible, so I can grow up to be big and strong, just like you!"

Iruka-sensei swallowed his food and laughed. "You think I'm strong?" he asked, his face flustered and a little curious. Naruto straightened up. "Of course, Iruka-sensei! You're the strongest guy I know! You're like family to me and you… you…" He looked at his bowl. "…Even though I never really had a father…" He stopped, considered his words, and moved forward. "You made me feel less alone! At first everyone around here ignored me, but you believed in me. You enrolled me in the Academy, and you trained me and made them all look my way!" He'd left Shikamaru and Choji out of that. They had their own places in Naruto's heart. He smiled when he looked up, but it faded when he found that Iruka was crying. "Wha-? Iruka-sensei?" The tears poured in two branching streams from his eyes that dug into Naruto, made him afraid.

That fear faded when Naruto saw that his teacher was smiling. They exchanged a quick embrace, and all was well as they broke it off. Naruto hadn't meant for the conversation to get so serious, but… he was leaving the next day. He might not see Iruka-sensei again for two years. Naruto supposed it was important to pass on his thoughts to the man who had been there for him all this time. _Mayb_ e _I_ did _have a father, all this time…_

"Well," Iruka piped up after a yawn, "I suppose you're gonna need some sleep, eh, Naruto?" Uzumaki's eyes went from his bowl to Iruka-sensei's. "Yeah…" he mumbled. Naruto saw Iruka blink out of the corner of his eyes. "Co-ome on, Naruto," Iruka chuckled, "what's with the long face? You're a Shinobi now. This isn't the time for moping; celebrate!" Naruto looked at him directly now. "But… It's just…" Iruka sighed as he paid an increasingly impatient Tetsuo Ichiraku from his wallet. "Look, Naruto," he began, standing up, "I know you're going away for a while. But I want tonight to be a happy memory, alright?" He knelt down a little so that they were eye-level. "Alright?" he repeated. Naruto hesitated, then nodded. "Alright," he told his teacher. Iruka sighed with relief. "Now, that's not to say I won't worry about my favorite pupil, so-"

Naruto cut him off, his voice bursting with excitement. "Really, Iruka-sensei? _I'm_ your favorite student?" Iruka rubbed the back of his head again, laughing. "Well, you weren't the _best_ student, but… I'll _always_ remember you as my favorite, Naruto, yes." The young blond Shinobi beamed. "Anyways, I'll worry about you, you know. It's misplaced, I'm guessing, but… Hold on, walk with me, Naruto."

With that, they left the Ramen shop and headed through the stone streets of Uzushi. Everything in Uzushi was water and shaped stone; the houses, the buildings, most of the market stalls, the light posts, the walls, the bridges and the statues and the sides of the canals; the water flowed through the island nation state in numerous canal streams. The only exception was the Garden, which was more like a forest than anything, which marked the absolute center of the small archipelago which made up Uzushi no Jōtai- it was there that the Academy did all its training exercises. Naruto would've thought it beautiful, were it not for his disdain for the greyness of the whole place and the eyes which worsened its dull nature. Stares followed the two as they progressed, as the stares always did when Naruto was out; even now, it stung a little. Probably more than it would if Mizuki-sensei hadn't told him about _why_ they despised him. Iruka continued as soon as he saw Uzumaki's face.

"Anyways… My worries for you are probably misplaced, but regardless, I want to give you something. Well, two things, really." Naruto looked at Iruka as he halted amid the light human traffic of the town. Umino-sensei dug in the pack at his side for a moment before pulling out and presenting a forked kunai- it was shaped more like a Sai dagger than an average kunai, but it was thicker. The hilt bore the Uzushi whirlpool on two opposite sides; it was a beige color, the whirlpool being a black marking. The blade itself had three points; two curved outward from the hilt and came back in a straighter, less steep curve, almost a crescent shape; the third jutted upward at the meeting of the crescent-shaped cross guard, longer than a usual kunai blade but markedly wider than a Sai. Naruto looked at it in amazement. "What is this?" he asked, looking up at a proud Iruka-sensei from the gift he'd just been handed. "This, Naruto," Iruka began, "is the _Raijin_ blade, a special kunai named after a secret technique imbued into it via the marking you see there." He tapped the swirl. "Wow…" Naruto ogled at it, amazed by the shape and length. (note: lemony quote if taken out of context)

Uzumaki looked up from it and back at Iruka. "But… What secret technique?" Iruka shook his head. "That's for me to know and you to learn. When you arrive in Konoha, look for Kakashi Hatake. Tell him, 'the Leaves must come unhidden.' He'll know what you mean." Naruto looked at Iruka in confusion, but as his teacher opened his mouth, a passerby pushed Naruto forward. "Out of the wa-"

The citizen, a tall burly man, looked at Naruto in anger at first but stopped abruptly after only a second, eyes widening as he seemed to recognize the forbidden demon boy. He hurried off without another word. Iruka sighed. Just as the dread and hurt crept its way into Naruto, he hurried along with, "Let's just get to Shikamaru's house." They went on their way with excessively due haste as Naruto casually wiped away a single tear with his index finger.

They walked in silence until they reached Shikamaru's small one-room, which sat just next to Choji's place. It sat in a neighborhood of similar apartments and small shops which mainly housed Genin, hermits, and lower class citizens who couldn't afford a lavish place. By the other citizens of Uzushi, it was misleadingly known as "the Barracks" due to the number of lower Shinobi housed within. _Better the Barracks than the Slums,_ mused Naruto, whose house was on the second story of a small apartment building in that district.

Iruka-sensei knocked on the door and they waited for a moment as the sound of footsteps began and ended right inside. The door opened to the typically lax eyes of Shikamaru Nara. "Oh. You're here. Finally," he mumbled to Naruto before bowing to Iruka. "I leave him to you, Shikamaru-hakase." Shikamaru nodded. "Wait, you're not coming in? Isn't this… a party… or somethin'?" Naruto asked in slight bewilderment. Iruka shook his head. "No, Naruto. I'll see you again before you three leave, though. Don't worry." Naruto blinked. "Us… three?" He nodded as Shikamaru spoke. "Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you. The three of us are officially a team," the lazy Shinobi said, the usual dragging of his voice grating his words against the air as if every syllable was an effort. "We… what?" Iruka spoke up again. "Well, most people set out with their friends without thinking. But in your case, since you're a little shy at this sort of thing, I thought a _little bit_ of handholding was in order. Just a little, of course," he added quickly, "but yeah, I'd better head off. I'll see you soon, Naruto." Iruka smiled and, after Naruto nodded tiredly, set off away, down the Barracks' dusty stone streets. Even these hovels had walls and streets of stone.

"C'mon in," Shikamaru offered. Naruto turned toward him and nodded, stepping over the threshold and removing his sandal-boots. When Uzumaki looked around, he saw that the place was just as cozy and plain as one would expect. It was carpeted by a coarse, beige material except for the corner, where a tiled makeshift kitchen was cut off from the rest of the house by a counter. The kitchen had a fridge, a stove, a sink, and some cabinets beneath the latter edifice. At the other corner was a medium-sized bed, which could fit two normally proportioned people. Towards Naruto's right was a small table. Choji sat there, eating some fried pork Shikamaru must've cooked him. He looked up briefly from his plate and, mouth full of meat and rice, waved to Naruto and called from ten feet away in a voice far too loud for such a distance, "Hey, Naruto!" Other than this, a squat table sat in the middle of the room with seating pillows around it and a shogi board on top, and a couch sat against the wall.

 _Oh, well._ Naruto was never for table manners anyways, so he gleefully waved back at the boy who was no more than feet from him and responded in kind; "Hey, Choji! Good to see you!"

Shikamaru was less enthusiastic. "Do you really _have_ to be so loud, guys?" he asked. "I mean, you both saw each other today at the ceremony. Why the enthusiasm?" Naruto shrugged. "Well, I didn't know I was going to be travelling with you guys," Uzumaki told him, sitting at the square table across from Choji in the seat nearest the door. Shikamaru blinked. "Is it really all that surprising?" Naruto didn't answer. "C'mon, Naruto, don't be such a downer. You're our friend." Choji jumped in at that. "Yeah, Naruto-kun; why wouldn't we want you with us?" Naruto didn't know. They _were_ his friends. But he often felt like a burden to them; academically, physically (a subset of academically in the case of a shinobi), and especially socially. Shikamaru pulled out the chair to Naruto's left and put his hand on a map Naruto hadn't noticed before. Nara's eyes were locked on Naruto. "We aren't like the others, Naruto. You, me, and Choji- we all barely graduated, and we're all in this together." Naruto smiled and Shikamaru leaned back, exhaling in apparent exhaustion but with a face that was nonetheless satisfied.

Naruto's black-haired friend leaned forward and pulled the map so that it was between him and Naruto. On the map was the Land of Fire and her underling nations; the Lands of the Whirlpool, of Sound, of Bears, of Tea, and off the northwest coast, Benisu Island. The Land of Water, an upper-level vassal to the Land of Fire with its own few subservient states, was on the far right near its commonwealth the Land of Waves connected by a bridge. All the Land of Fire's major villages and settlements were denoted across its direct domain. Off the southern coast was Uzushi, just south of Inu village, connected by the Whirlpool Bridge to the mainland.

Pens and mapping tools sat on the edge of the parchment, resting there for further use. Shikamaru had marked out a path which forked at the source of the Hashi River, one path going on the west side through Abura and the other on the east, past Castle Iroha. Shino had marked each one with time estimations, both only a little over two months. "I've already got a couple paths laid out. However, until we reach Shukuba Town, we've got a set path to follow. It'll be a week or two before we reach even there, though, so we won't have to worry about picking a road until then." Naruto stared at the map. They were really leaving.

"Got it, Naruto?" "Huh?" Naruto looked up. "Oh, yeah, single path until Shuka Town, got it..." Shikamaru sighed. " _Shukuba_ , Naruto, there's a Lake and a mountain with the same name and everything," Nara groaned. Choji started to laugh but choked on his food and had to spend the next minute or so coughing. Naruto had to suppress his own laughter the whole time. "Anyways, yeah, so that's the long and short of it. When you pack, I'd suggest that you put some food that will survive the trip and all your money; keep that in a safe place. You'll also want at least a couple changes of clothes." Naruto nodded and made an "Mhm" each time Shikamaru paused. "Also, don't forget your ninja tools. And do _not_ forget your headband. That thing is valuable, and you'll need it to get your forehead protector and be made a Genin." He looked at Naruto with a very serious expression. Naruto quickly nodded and added, "Of course, Shikamaru!" Nara nodded and pointed at Inu Village. "That'll be the first place we take a long rest. It'll delay us a day or so, but we might be able to get some training in at the waterfall."

Naruto nodded again. "And, uh… That's about the long and short of it." Nara looked at Naruto and then at Choji, who'd finished his food and fallen asleep with his head in his arms at the table. "I'd better get him to his house," Shikamaru sighed. Naruto nodded for the fiftieth time in the past ten minutes. "Here, uh… I'll help you." The black-haired Shinobi shook his head. "Nah, don't worry about it. You go get some sleep and start thinking about packing." Naruto looked at Shikamaru. "Are you sure?" Uzumaki asked, looking at his friend with concern. Shikamaru just nodded and said, "I'm sure. Get on back to your place." Naruto gave him a curt nod and, after a few goodbyes, set off from his friend's house. _My friend's house_ … he thought again. _They really are my friends._

The thought filled Naruto with a strange sensation off joy as he strolled down the cobbled Uzushi road. Apart from occasional pedestrians and one horsed guard, Naruto didn't pass too many people. He was for the most part alone, and yet… For once he didn't feel so lonely. Uzumaki Naruto grinned, rubbed his blue headband for reassurance, and grinned. His pace picked up and for the first time in a long time, Naruto was excited about tomorrow.


End file.
